Engine-starter.



G. Y. LAUCHIN.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION men APR-25, 1914.

l 1 78 162. Patented 'Apr. 4,- 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- 6 566. 1 I N M22237 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

G. Y. LAUCHI N. ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25,1914.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 m5 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAI'H .Cu., WASHINGTON, D. c.

G. Y. LAUCHIN.

. ENGINE-STARTER. APPLICATION FILED APnlzs. m4.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

w 1 II ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE Y. LAUCHIN, 0F CRYSTAL FALLS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO V EDWARD J. BREGGER, OF CRYSTAL FALLS, MICHIGAN.

ENGINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE Y. LAUCHIN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Crystal Falls, in the county of Iron and State of Michigan," have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Engine- Starters, of which the following is a specification. g t

This invention relates to an engine starter, and more particularly to a manually operable starter for gas engines.

The principal object of the invention is to provide. an improved form of apparatus of this class which is simple and durable in construction and effective and efficient in operation. For the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful improvements, as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in the construction,combination and arrangement of the several parts generally shown in the drawings and described in the spec1 fication, but more particularly pointed out 1n the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view, partly in section, of a starter constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention showing its relation to the crank of an engine to be started; F 1g. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the mechanism in one position; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view with the mechanism in another position; Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section, showing the knock-out mechanism,

" and Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in section,

showing the operating mechanism. V

This invention comprises in general a palr of members connected to ratchets operating in opposite directions with a gripping shaft, one of the members being for manually operating the shaft in one direction of rotation and the other member constituting a knockout' for releasing the shaft from operative engagement when the engine, which is to be started, kicks back. i 1

Referring now more ;particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates generallyan engine ,of the type to be started having a shaft 2 with projecting pins 3. The starter is secured to a suitable frame 4 fixed in relation to the engine The starter proper comprises a casing with sections '5 and 6 secured togetherby fastening devices 7, the casing being formed in the outer portion of the inside,

thereof with a projection 8 having a shoulder 9 with an opposite inclined face 10. The casing is also provided with a wedging portion 11 through which the rotatable and longitudinally movable shaft 12 extends. To the other end of the shaft adjacent the englne 1 is connected a gripper 13 with teeth adapted to be moved in engagement with the projecting pins 3 of the engine shaft, the teeth being formed with'inclined faces so that the shaft 12 turns the engine shaft 2 in one direction of rotation, but if the engine shaft should be turned in the opposite direction the shaft 12 will be knocked out by the wedging portion 11.

Secured to the shaft 12 is a toothed ratchet member 14 and end plates 15. Mounted on the ratchet member and one of the end plates is an operating member 16 having a peripheral groove 17 and provided wit a spring-pressed ratchet pawl 18 which is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet member 14 for moving the shaft in one direction of rotation when the operating member' is rotated. This operating member is free to rotate in the other direction, and if desired, ball-bearings 19 are provided for assisting the free rotation thereof. The casing is formed with an 5) adjacent the lower extremity thereof in which an anti-friction roller 21 is disposed, and through the aperture a flexible member 22 extends which is wound in the groove 17 of the operating member and is secured thereto by a pivotally mounted lug 23. en the flexible member 22 is manually "drawn from within the casing the operating member 16 is rotated in such a direction that the ratchet pawl engages the teeth of the ratchet member to rotate the shaft 12.

Extending from the side of the operating member 16 is a shouldered projection 24 adapted to engage the shoulder 9 of the projection in the casing, and this extension 24: is also formed with a cam surface 25 which is'adapted to engage and cooperate with the inclined face 10 (see Fig. 2) of the projection within the casing when the operating member is rotated from its inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 2, nearly one complete revolution in the operative direction. A knock-out member 26 is also mounted on the ratchet member 14 and one of the end plates 15 and has a ratchet pawl 27 to engage the teeth'of the ratchet when the shaft is r0 tated in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation produced by the operating member 16. This knock out member is formed with wedging projections 28 preferably surrounding the shaft 12 and the projections are adapted to be received between the wedging projections 11 of the casing for holding the member 26 against rotation when the shaft 12 is rotated by the operating member 16 and to cooperate with the projections 11 when the shaft 12 is rotated in the reverse direction for moving the shaft longitudi When the shaft 12 is rotated in the operative direction by means of the operating member 16 the latch 29 is moved upwardly into a dotted position, as shown by Fig. 2,

to permit the longitudinal movement of the shaft into engaging position, falling into locking position by its own weight when the shaft is returned to its inoperative position.

At the outer end of the casing it ispreferably provided with a projection 30 in which is mounted a bearing31 for the outer end of theshaft 12, and surroundingthe bearing within theprojection 30 is a coil spring 32, one end of which is secured to the 7 bearing 31. The other end of the spring is secured to a member 33, which is freely movable on the bearing, with an arm 34 extending upwardly over the adjacent end plate 15.

' for securing the member by means of .a

screw 35 to the operating member 16. This springhas two actlons, one tending to rotate the operating member 16 so thatits shoulder 24 will be in engagement with the shoulder 9 of the casing, thereby returning the member to its inoperatlve position, and the other action tending to press the entire shaft longitudinally into the engaging or operative position, as shown in Fig. 3.

To secure the starterto the frame or support 4 it is preferably provided with perforated lugs 36 through which the fastening devices extend, and one portion of the casing is formed with a segmental curved housing portion 37 (see Fig. 1) for covering the knock-out device of which the member 26 has only a limited movement.

In operation it is necessary only to pull crating member 16, to which it is connected,

' will be rotated. The rotation of the operating member a slight distance releases it from engagement with the shoulder 8,.

whereupon the spring 32 presses the shaft and the member 16 longitudinally in the cas- 7 mg in the position shown by dotted outline in Fig. 2, at which time the wedging projection 28 of the knock-out member 26 has engaged with the wedging projection 11 of the projection of said member will engage with V the cam face 10 of the projection of the casing throwing the member 16 into inoperative position and moving the shaft 12 longitudinally whereupon the shaft-12, being disengaged from the engine shaft, the operating member'16 will be returned by its spring 32'to the inoperative position with the shoul- I der 2 1 in engagement with the shoulder 9. This action will also rewind the flexible member 22 in the groove and the starter ca be manually operatedas before. 7

Should the engine to be cranked ,kick' back at any time when an attempt is made to start it, the reverse rotation of the enginemay tend to produce a reverse rotation of the shaft 12.. A number of safeguards areprovided for this'condition. In

the first place the, 'teeth of the engaging member 13 are inclined so that they grip. in

one direction of rotation of the shaft 12 but do not grip in the other direction of rotation. The kick-out device proper is thrown into operation as soon as the direction of r01 tation of the shaft 12 is reversed whereby the wedging projections 28, which have been seated between the wedging projections 11 of the casing, are caused to engage the wedg- 1 ing projections: 11 thereby moving the shaft longitudinally and throwing the gripping the inoperative position and in position to'be again operated. I

It is obvious. that those skilled in the art to which this appertains may make various changes-in the construction, combination and arrangementof the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of. the invention.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A gas engine starter comprising a fixed casing, a shaft movablelongitudinally into' gripping position, manual means for rotating the shaft in one direction but not in the other, a spring tending to press the shaft the flexible member 22, whereupon the op-' manual means is rotated to a-predetermined amount. I 1

2. In a gas. engine starter, a gripping shaft movable longitudinally into gripping position, a spring tending to move the shaft in a gripping position, manually operated means for rotating the shaft in one direction but not in the other, a detent to limit the -movement of the manually operated means in one direction and to prevent the longitudinal movement of the shaft until the manual means is properly rotated in the 7 other direction, and a latch to prevent the longitudinal movement of the shaft until the said manual means has beenrotated a predetermined amount in the said other direction.

3'. A gas engine starter comprising a gripper shaft, a casing through which the shaft extends having an inner shoulder and a wedging portion, manually operated ratchet member to rotate the shaft in one direction and freely mounted in the other direction having a wedging portion adapted to be engaged by the shoulder to limit its rotation in one direction, a spring tendlng to press the member against the shoulder, and a knock-out member adapted 'to grip the shaft when it is rotated in the other direction whereby the member is moved against the wedging projection for moving the tion. a

.4. A gas engine starter comprising a longitudinally movable shaft, a casing through which the shaft is movable having a projection forming a shoulder and an inclined face opposite thereto, means for clutching the shaft in one direction of movement comprising a member with a projection to engage the shoulder in one direction of movementand having a cam surface to engage the said inclined face of the casing when moved in the other direction, and a spring tending to shoulder.

5. In a gas'enginestarter, the combination with a rotatable longitudinally movable press the member against the 'shaft,;of a casing through which it projects having a projection with a shoulder on one side and a wedging surface on the otherside, means for clutching'the shaft in one direction of rotation comprising a member fixed against longitudinal movementwith respect to the shaft having a wedging projection to engagethe wedging surface of the projection of the casing in one direction of movement and a detent face to engage the shoulder in the other direction of movement, and

a spring tending to press the member and the shaft longitudinally with the detent face against the shoulder, the shoulder preventing the member and the shaft from being pressed longitudinally with respect to the V casing until rotated a predetermined distance against the spring.

6. An engine starter comprising a casing shaft longitudinally out of gripping posiwith a shouldered portion having an inclined face opposite the shoulder, a rotatable shaft extending through the casing and longitudinally movable therein, means to rotate the shaft comprising a member adapted to clutch the shaft in one direction of rotation having a shouldered portion with an opposite inclined face adapted to engage the shoulder to limit the movement of the member in one direction and to prevent the longitudinal movement of the shaft until the member is rotated partially in the other direction and the inclined surfaces of the member and the shoulder cooperating when the member is rotated in the said other direction to withdraw the shaft from its longitudinal movement, and a spring adapted to return the member to engagement with said shoulder when the cam'faces have cooperated and also tending to press the member and shaft longitudinally with respect to the casing.

7. A gas engine starter comprising a casing having a shouldered portion with an opposite cam face and also having a wedging portion, a rotatable clutching shaft longitudinally movable in the casing adjacent the said wedging portion, means for manually rotating the shaft in one direction only comprising a member having a projection to engage the shouldered portion in one direction of rotation, a cam surface to engage the opposite cam face of the shoulder in the other direction of rotation and fixed for longitudinal movement with the shaft, means comprising a spring tending to press the shaft longitudinally into gripping position and to return the said member to engage its shoulder with the shouldered portion of the casing, and throw-out means comprising a member engaged by the shaft when it is rotated in a direction opposite to that produced by the saidmanually operated means comprising a member fixed for 1011- gitudinal movement with the shaft and having a wedging surface adapted to cooperate with the said wedging surface of the casing to move the shaft longitudinally.

8. A gas engine starter comprising a casing having an internal shoulder and a wedging portion, a rotatable shaft longitudinally movable in the casing from an inoperative to an operative position, means movable longitudinally with the shaft comprising two members, one adapted to engage the shaft for manually operating it in one direction, and the other engaged by the shaft and rotated when the shaft is rotated in the other direction, the first said member having a shouldered portion adapted to engage the shoulder of the casing, the shoulder preventing the longitudinal movement of the member and shaft until the said member is rotated partially in the operative direction and the said other member having a wedging portion adapted to engage the wedging portion of the casing when the shaft rotates the said other member in the reverse direction whereby the shaft is pressed longitudinally into inoperative position, and means tending to press the shaft longitudinally in the operative position and to rotate the first said member to engage its shoulder with the shoulder of the casing. I

9. A gas engine starter comprising a casing having an internal shoulder and a wedging portion, a rotatable shaft longitudinally movable in the casing from an inoperative to. an operative position, means movable longitudinally with the shaft comprising two members, one adapted to engage theshaft for manually operating it in one direction, and the other engaged by the shaft and rotated when the shaft is rotated in the other direction, the first said member having a shouldered portion adapted to engage the shoulder of the casing, the shoulder preventing the longitudinal movement of the member and shaft until the said member is direction whereby the shaft is pressed lon gitudinally into inoperative position, anda latch freely pivoted in the casing adapted to lock the shaft in inoperative position and engaged by the rotation of the shaft in the operative direction whereby the partial rotation of the first said member will effect the release of the latch.

10. A gas engine starter comprising a casing adapted to be held in fixed position having a shouldered projection and a wedging projection, a rotatable shaft longitudinally movable therein from inoperative to operative position, means for rotating the shaft in both directions comprising a pair of members, a ratchet in connection with each member whereby they engage the shaft when rotated in one direction and are free in the opposite direction of. rotation, a projection in connection with one of the members for limiting the rotation in one direction having a cam surface to engage the shouldered portion of the casing to move the member longitudinally with the shaft when it is rotated to a predetermined amount in the other direction, the other member being provided with a wedging surface to engage the wedging surface of the casing whereby the shaft direction, a latch for holding the shaft out of engaging position, and ,a-spring tend-" ing both to press the shaft longitudinally into engaging position and to return the said first named member to engage its shoulder V with the shoulder of thecasing when the shaft ismoved longitudinallyin the 'inoper I ative position.

'11. 1 In an engine starter, the combination with a casing, having an apertureiwith a roller mounted in said aperture and having.-

a wedging portion and an .internal'shoulder" ofa rotatable shaft longitudinally movable in the casing, means for rotating the shaft in either direction comprising a manually oper- I ated member having a groove therein, a flexible member secured to and wound in said groove extending through the aperture in the casing and contacting with the roller.

thereof for manually rotating the shaft-in one direction, the said member being free from the shaft in the other direction of rotation, a spring tending to pressthe shaft and said member longitudinally and tend-L ing to wind the flexible member in' the v groove of the manually operated member,

and a knock-out device free from-engage;

ment with the shaft when the first said,

member is rotated against the tension of the spring but engaged by the shaft in the' re verse direction of ro-tat ionand contacting with the wedging portion for moving the shaft longitudinally against the spring.

In testimony whereof have signedmy name to this specification, in the presence of subscribing witnesses, on this 13th day of April, A, D. 1914. V

Witnesses: V

JosEPH- O. LEONARD, V THOMAS F. BEHAN, JAMES E. YOUNG;

Copies at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. 7 Washington, D. G. V

GEORGE Y; L UoniN. I 

